Method for the production of scaffolds for tissue engineering, comprising the useof an anchoring unit, and scaffold produced therewith

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for the production of scaffold materials and/or scaffolds for tissue and/or organ engineering, said method comprising the addition of at least one anchoring unit for a labelling agent, to at least one scaffold material and/or to at least one scaffold.

1 . A method for the production of scaffold materials and/or scaffolds for tissue and/or organ engineering, said method comprising the addition of at least one anchoring unit for a labelling agent, to at least one scaffold material and/or to at least one scaffold. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of binding at least one labelling agent to at least one anchoring unit for a labelling agent, wherein the step of binding at least one labelling agent to at least one anchoring unit is carried out by means of a bio-orthogonal chemical reaction. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric scaffold materials and/or scaffold is produced by at least one method selected from the group consisting of
 a) electrospinning,   b) rapid prototyping,   c) knitting, and/or   d) phase separation.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the scaffold material is a biodegradable material, and the anchoring unit is added to the reaction mixture prior to polymerization, wherein the anchoring unit is attached to the polymer from which the scaffold is formed. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the anchoring unit is attached after the forming of the scaffold, wherein the attachment of the anchoring unit is a covalent binding step. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the attachment of the anchoring unit is a non-covalent binding step. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the labelling agent is bound to the anchoring unit in vivo. 
     
     
         8 . A scaffold material useful for the manufacture of scaffold for tissue and/or organ engineering, characterized in that said scaffold material bears at least one anchoring unit for a labelling agent. 
     
     
         9 . A scaffold useful for the manufacture of a tissue and/or organ, characterized in that said scaffold bears at least one anchoring unit for a labelling agent. 
     
     
         10 . A scaffold material and/or a scaffold, obtainable by a method according  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The scaffold according to  claim 8 , which is being used for the production of at least one tissue and/or organ selected from the group consisting of
 a) artificial heart valves,   b) vascular grafts,   c) skin,   d) nervous tissue,   e) organs,   f) bladder,   g) blood vessels,   h) cartilage tissue, and/or   i) bone tissue.   
     
     
         12 . Use of a scaffold according to  claim 8  for the manufacture of a tissue and/or organ. 
     
     
         13 . A tissue and/or organ comprising a scaffold according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
         14 . The tissue and/or organ according to  claim 13 , characterized in that said tissue and/or organ is selected from at least one of the group consisting of
 a) artificial heart valves,   b) vascular grafts,   c) skin,   d) nervous tissue,   e) organs,   f) bladder,   g) blood vessels,   h) cartilage tissue, and/or   i) bone tissue.   
     
     
         15 . A method of labelling a scaffold material and/or a scaffold for tissue and/or organ engineering according  claim 8 , said method comprising the step of binding at least one labelling agent to the anchoring unit, wherein at least one labelling agent is bound to the anchoring unit by means of a bio-orthogonal chemical reaction, wherein at least one labelling agent is bound to the anchoring unit in vivo, and said method comprising the step of releasing at least one labelling agent from the anchoring unit in vivo.